The Ties That Bind Us Together
by Scrumptious treat
Summary: A haven for those seeking relief from the destruction of Grand Gaia. A promise land, filled with political turmoil and threats from demonic attacks. These times call for inspirational figures, but with none in sight, others have to unwillingly step in, and make substitutes for them; but the impression they would leave, will open up a new world.
1. Prelude

The birds chirped, the wind whistled, and the sun radiated against the small town. The village was most active at this time, as this was when the townsfolk made the most money they could in the year.

Two young children were walking to the small market located in the center. An impatient yell was directed to the other. "Rouche, you're so slow!" Responding with a sigh, the boy spoke up. "You shouldn't run off like that. You could get into trouble. Mother and father would be furious..." The young girl, Limera, looked down sadly, realizing the trouble she could have caused.

"Come now. We'll go get a snack. My treat." he smiled. Limera quickly responded with one of her own and agreed. As the two reached the merchant, a sweet fragrance filled the air, followed by a bell chime. They knew what that meant; a fresh batch of cookies was ready. The young girl pointed to the tray holding the freshly baked goods. "I want one of those!" she cheered. Rouche smiled and bought two cookies for themselves. "Alright, here you go-" he began, but was surprised by the girl's swift actions of taking the cookie.

Limera gobbled the snack up in a matter of seconds. As the older child was going to take a bite out of his share, he heard a soft whimper. Turning, the young girl was seen staring at the treat. He eyed the girl with serious expression. Finally, he handed the cookie over to his younger sister. Her reply was filled with a smile as she finished the second cookie.

No trace of a cookie was left behind...except for the crumbs on her face. "You're such a messy eater." He teased, trying to wipe her face. The young girl tried to hold her older brother off. Pouting at her given title, she grew upset. "No I'm not!"

The older used a napkin given to them from the merchant. He licked it and began to clean her face. "Hold still," he demanded but the girl refused to listen. The two fell back as the eldest landed on top.

There the two were. Their eyes were locked as both blushed a bright red like two shiny tomatoes. The taste of cookies was still present on the girl's lip. As the boy tried to pull away, he felt two arms pull him in closely. "B-Brother," she whispered softly, engaging in a second kiss.

Now he was the one blushing the most. The pair finally got up and brushed themselves. The girl was filled with wonder and excitement. Not being able to hold it in, she blarted out. "Wooooow, that was so cool!" The older sibling was still blushing. "I can't wait to tell mother and father about our discovery-" Rouche cut her off before she could finish. "This is our little secret!" He demanded, glaring at her. "You will tell nobody! It is only for us to know! And ONLY us!"

Tilting her head, Limera was confused as to why he was acting so strange. "But I always tell mother and father," she explained. "W-Well just for once, please listen to your older brother. You must keep this our secret," he pleaded. The younger girl shrugged and nodded in agreement.

As the duo returned home they saw two figures standing next to each other. There were their parents, Reed and Lucana. "Mommy!" Limera shouted as she ran to her. The two embraced in a hug while her brother smiled at the sight and walked inside. A warm hand grasped his shoulder. Turning to see his father smiling at him. "Thank you for protecting your sister." Giggling, he thanked him for his praise. "Of course. I love her and I wouldn't let ANYTHING happen to her."

Reed smiled at his son's response and gave him a hug. The family all exchanged hugs and got ready for dinner. Limera sat next to her mother, while the boy was seated near Reed. Every time she looked at his mother, he held his breath and hoped that the secret wouldn't be revealed. Concerned, the man decided to ask him what was wrong.  
"Rouche, you seem a bit troubled." His child laughed it off. "Ah...no I'm fine. It's just that my head hurts a little," he said trying to come up with an excuse. "You should rest then," Lucana suggested. The older sibling smiled and nodded. Just as he got up, he caught a glimpse of his younger sister whispering in Lucana's ear. He immediately rushed to where he was sitting. "No no I'm fine I'm fine!" He said, beginning to eat his food like it was his last. "Whoa whoa, slow down."

Taking away his plate of food, the boy protested. "Honey, is there something you want to tell us?" his mother inquired. "NO! I-I mean... Errrr no I'm fine," he said burying his face in his arms. "This can't possibly get worse," he groaned.

"So mother, brother and I did something special while we were out," Limera said said cheerfully. The older sibling held his breath and stared at his younger sister. "Whoa, are you okay there?" His father asked holding his son's arm.

His sister had a large smile and turned to Lucana. Panicking, he could feel his heartbeat rise. "He and I kissed!" she yelled happily.

Rouche was silent, frozen in his own world. "No..." he mumbled to himself as sweat began to form. Lucana and Reed looked at each other and then at the kids. "Awwww how adorable" Lucana smiled. Reed chuckled and patted his son on the back. Rouche, who was still blushing, glared at his sister. Her response to his glare was a cheerful grin. "Please let this be over." he prayed.

Limera moved in for a kiss but the older sibling held her back. "No no! No more!" He yelled blushing. His sister paused and stared at him. "Brother? She asked, confused. "I'm sorry," he said looking down. Limera wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him, in an effort to cheer him up. "I'm sorry too brother," she apologized while looking at him. Without thinking, he pushed her away and ran off. "Rouche, wait!" Reed yelled, as he tried catching up with his son. "I need some time alone!" The boy yelled as he ran to his room down the hall.

A soft whimper escaped the child, tears beginning to form. Lucana helped her daughter back up on her feet, only for the child to cry loudly. "BROTHER HATES ME!"

The next thing the parents saw was the girl running to her room; causing Lucana to become upset. Ultimately, her mother tried getting to her, but was stopped. "Let her go." Reed said, trying to reassure her. "The two need to take time alone for awhile. Don't worry, they'll be as close as could ever be in a few hours." Nodding, she sat back down to finish her dinner.

Several hours passed, and Limera awoke from her nap. "I wonder if he's still mad at me..." she thought, as she got off her bed. She slowly opened her door and walked down the hallway. "B-Brother..." She called out eventually reaching his room. She began to knock on it gently, hoping for a response.

Rouche's door opened slowly, as two eyes poked out and then a face. "What do you want?" He asked. His hair was somewhat disheveled, as if he just woke up from a nap. "I'm sorry for earlier," she said looking at her feet. She felt a hand stroke her cheek and lift her head up to meet his. "Apology accepted," a smile slowly formed across his face. "I shouldn't have over reacted." Two small arms wrapped around his waist. He could see tears dripping from her eyes. "Brother," she whispered. "Hey, don't cry sis," he reassured, wiping her tears. The two siblings gave each other a tight hug. "Let's go back to mother and father,"

Suddenly, they heard approaching footsteps. A shadow then appeared from the corner and turned to them. Two deep blue eyes stared at the two siblings, making them feel uneasy. "Sis, get behind me," Roche whispered to her. With no hesitation, his younger sister did what she was told. At the end of each of the figure's arms were claws. They were sharp as eagle talons, and we're made of metal. Each step the figure took, the tighter her hand grasped onto her brothers. He felt his sister shaking with fear. "GO AWAY!" The figure didn't listen. It only walked in one direction; towards them. "I want you to go and get mother and father," the older sibling instructed. The young girl only clung tighter and buried her head into her older brother's chest. "Make the monster go away!"

Rouche charged at the stranger with great speed. The impact was enough to make the figure fall over. "I AM ONLY GOING TO TELL YOU THIS ONCE! LEAVE US ALONE!"

"So you must be his son?" the figure asked with a smile. "You've got quite the skills, lad," he said getting up. Getting into an aggressive position, the child was ready to attack once more. The figure sighed and shook his head. "Will you let me explain?" Without warning, the child attacked again, but this time the figure was ready. He knocked him away before he could strike; sending a wave of panic that flooded his sister's thoughts. "Brother!" Limera shouted, rushing to her brother's aid. "No stay back!" the figure, yelled holding her arm. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" the young girl screamed and soon began to cry.

Two strong arms held the girl firmly to the stranger's chest as he tried calming her down. The figure was unaware of the sharp claws that were scratching her.

When he got up, all he saw was his sister's screaming, teary eyed face, and the stranger who had her in his grasp. "This isn't what it looks like!" The man yelled, slowly letting the girl go. As she ran to get help, she fell with a thud.

Shock soon filled the boy, but the shock soon turned into anger as he glared at the man, snarling; trying his best to intimidate the intruder. Before anything else could happen, Reed and Lucana rushed to the scene. Limera got the energy to run to the two parents. "MOMMA!" she cried, collapsing in her mother's arms. "RHEIN, WHAT HAPPENED?!" Lucana yelled. "EXPLAIN NOW!" Reed shouted at the man. Rhein told everyone what happened and looked at the small girl. "I-I'm so sorry," he said reaching out to the young girl. The older sibling quickly reacted by slapping his hand away. "LEAVE NOW!" He yelled, still furious at what he did to her. "Stop that!" Reed growled grabbing his son's arm. Surprising him, the boy muttered "D-Dad..." as his father pulled him away. "W-Who is that man?" He asked. "That's my friend. His name is Rhein."

"I'm sorry...But he hurt Limera!" Hearing this made his father smile. The boy really was selfless and caring, that's what he thought. "I know you want to protect your sister, and I appreciate that. But I know Rhein, and he means no harm." He explained. The boy sighed and turned away from his father. "I want to be left alone," he said. Reed sighed and tried to cheer him up. "Come now," in a last resort, he tried tickling his son. Rouche pushed his father away and ran to his room, locking the door.

Meanwhile, Rhein was trying his best to cheer her up, but to no avail. "Mommy make the bad man go away!" she yelled, clinging to her mother's arm. "There there. Rhein is a friend. So you don't have to be scared of him."

"But he's scary!" the young girl yelled, clinging tighter.

Rhein let out a sigh "I-I guess I should head out," "No wait!" Lucana said. She tried thinking of way to convince her daughter before he could change his mind "Limera please. Give Rhein a chance, I promise he is a good person," The young girl thought for a bit and finally nodded slowly. "THANK YOU!" her mother said happily, hugging her. The older male had a grin as he bent down to greet the child, trying to apologize for early. "I'm sorry for startling you." . In an effort to make her laugh, he tried making funny faces. Eventually the girl let out a giggle. "You're silly," she mumbled, finally giving him a hug. Rhein was shocked by her action, and hugged the girl back. Her mother smiled at the sight and walked off, "Thank you, Limera."

Limera let out a yawn, and looked at the man. "Is somebody sleepy?" he asked, picking her up. "No I'm not tired," she yawned. "I'm...wide awake." Chuckling, he placed the child back in bed. "Would you like me to stay here until you fall asleep?" "YES! I mean...yes, please stay." Her eyes struggled to stay open as she was starting to slip into unconsciousness. "Now I know you're sleepy."

Before another protest could be uttered, the girl was out cold. He slowly began to stroke the girl's hair, careful not to mess up her already straight hair. Hearing the doorknob turn, he quickly stood up and to his surprise, it was the boy.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Rhein finally greeted him"H-Hey there-"

"What're you doing here?" Rouche interrupted the man mid sentence, approaching him.

"I-I was going to ask the same thing." "Get out of my sister's room, now!" As the two began to argue, they heard a soft whimper coming from Limera's bed. "Sis?" The elder sibling asked as he slowly approached her.

The whimpering turned to crying, which eventually turned into a scream. "GET AWAY!" She yelled as she pushed her brother into Rhein, unaware of her action. The young girl was finally awake, curled into the fetal position.

The boy neared her, in an effort to comfort her, and questioned what may have frightened her. "What's wrong, Limera?" Her body shook, and she clung tightly to Rouche. "M-Monster."

He explained to her that it was all a dream, which had calmed her until she got a glimpse of Rhein's talons. Again she was bawling, crying out to the older sibling for comfort. "Brother, make the monster go away!" As much as he wanted Rhein to leave, he explained to her, again, that is was just a nightmare.

Clinging to her brother's arm, her screams died down. The man seemed to notice something that caught his attention. "She seems to calm down when she is able to hug something." he thought to himself. Walking out of the room, he came back with something in his hands. "This should do the trick," he smiled, pulling out a teddy bear. Handing the stuffed animal to her, he said, "I bought this for you, but forgot to give it." Limera took the small bear and hugged it tightly; thanking the man with a tired smile. Returning to her bed, she instantly fell asleep with the bear wrapped tightly in her arms.

As both the child and man walked out of the room, the boy was able to utter a quick thank you. Although it pained him to say it, he felt a wave of relief as he did so. Smiling down at him, Rhein thought it was about time he head to bed, too. "Alright, now it's your turn." "W-What?" Rouche asked, confused by what he meant. "Come on," the man ordered, grabbing the boy by his arm, taking him to his own room. The boy tried protesting, only for his mouth to be shut by his hand. "Shhh, you'll wake everyone up."

By the time they reached the child's room, he had a spiteful look and pushed the man out. "Because you helped Limera, I won't kill you," he informed, slamming the door in Rhein's face. Collapsing on his bed in exhaustion, he let out a sigh as his head went under his pillow. "Finally...some peace and quiet."

As Rouche slowly began to drift into sleep, he heard the door creak open. The darkness made it unclear as to who it was. Fear began to build inside of him, until the figure revealed himself to be Rhein; the fear turning to annoyance. Letting out a groan, he covered his head with a pillow."You have no business being here."

His voice was cold, every word having the impression of a death sentence. "I know, but I would like to talk to you," he said, pulling the pillow off of Rouche's face.

Groaning in annoyance, he huffed at the man. "Just tell me why you're here, so I can go to sleep."

"Your mother and father hired me to take care of you. Kinda like a babysitter," The man explained. "I don't need a babysitter," the boy pouted, quickly raising his voice. "And I can take care of MY sister by myself!" Smiling, Rhein looked down at him and chuckled. "Yes yes, you're the big protective brother. But, even you need protection."

Folding his arms, the boy gave him an annoyed look. "I can take care of myself too, I'm not a baby." he said. "Of course not, but I would like you to show me some respect," the man ordered. "I just want the both of you to be safe, is all." Rolling his eyes, the child looked away.

As the two began to argue again, Rouche's door opened slightly. The young child poked her head through the door and walked slowly towards them. Her teddy bear was tightly held in one hand, and her other hand was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Limera, you should be asleep." Rhein said. Almost as if she hadn't heard him, the girl climbed onto her brother's bed; saying in an inaudible voice only he could hear, "Brother, I can't sleep…. Can I sleep with you?" she asked, placing her head on his lap. The older sibling blushed, trying to hide his face.

Seeing it would be a great moment to embarrass the child, Rhein decided to tease him a bit. "That would be a great idea."

Glaring at the man, he demanded him to leave his room. Not wanting to interfere with the two siblings Rhein hesitantly agreed and left them. "Why is Mr. Rhein here with us?" She asked softly, glancing at her brother quickly. Her brother let out a sigh , and began to explain to her that he was their "babysitter." Before the boy could finish, he heard soft snores coming from the girl. A smile formed across his face. "Goodnight." he whispered, as he fell asleep, holding her tightly in his arms. "I love you brother." Limera murmured. "I love you too sis."

* * *

A/N: Sorry if any of you are disturbed by that slight hint of incest. I'm hoping that you can look past that, haha. Even if this story will contain romance between the two. If you're disturbed by that, then that's okay. To each their own. But the story won't have a heavy emphasis on it.


	2. Ideals

Hours later, Rouche yawned loudly, finally awoken from his slumber. "That was probably the best night's rest I ever had" he thought to himself. Walking out of the room, he took a quick trip to the bathroom. As he returned, he found his door was locked. Rattling the knob, the attempts to unlock it were paying off. Pushing against the door, the hinge came loose; causing the door to open wide. What the boy didn't notice, was his sister, who had a blush staining her face. "I'm so so so sorry!" he yelled, his face burning in embarrassment, The girl let out a sniffle, tears filling her eyes before she pushed him out and slammed the door in his face. "That didn't happen, that didn't happen." the boy thought to himself.

He stood near the door for what felt like hours. As it opened slightly, the child already began apologizing. "I am so sorry-" but before he could finish, she silenced him with a finger on his lips. "It's okay, brother. You didn't mean to." A long sigh came from the young male, finally convincing his sister to let go of him. "L-Let's get some breakfast." he stuttered.

In the kitchen, the girl followed him all around, watching as he prepared some eggs for her. Sitting at the table, she awaited for her breakfast to be served; but there was something up with her. Limera seemed over excited for some reason, like she was hyped up on candy. "I had a dream, and it was of us." she mumbled. "We were getting married!"

"WHAT?!" Rouche yelled, flinging the pan, causing the scrambled egg to fly upward. Rimera let out a giggle as the eggs landed on her brother's face. He let out a loud scream as he tried to pull the hot breakfast off his burning face. "You're so silly!" she exclaimed. Suddenly, the two heard a familiar voice, before a feminine figure walked in. "What's with all the noise?"

"Mommy," she cheered, running over and giving her a hug. Lucana let out a yawn, giving the girl an affectionate squeeze. "You're up early,' she said tiredly. A smile beamed down at the girl, causing one to break out on her the boy was still trying to get the egg off his face. "Here let me help you, sweetie." The woman smiled, cleaning the his face of the white and yolky substance.

After Lucana finished helping her son, another tired yawn escaped her. "I…think I'm going back to bed for awhile." Before she left, she looked back at the boy. "Also, try not to burn yourself or the whole house."

Leaving the two kids alone, Rouche got back to cooking. "Okay, let's try this again," he said, cooking another serving of eggs. As he finished the second batch, he carefully transferred the eggs from the pan to the plate. Breakfast is ready." he smiled. Her mouth watered at the sight of the breakfast, soon taking a bite out of it. "Delicious!" the girl cheered, happily eating it like there was no tomorrow. "They're just eggs….wait, slow down!" Rouche yelled. Giggling, the girl chewed slowly on her meal.

When she finished her breakfast, Limera walked to where her brother was sitting on the opposite side of the table. Before he could say anything, she sat down on his lap; giving him a tight squeeze as a token of her gratitude.

As the day went on, the boy didn't feel safe being near Limera. He didn't know why, but he tried his best to keep a good distance from her. In the end, she was always able to be right next to him. Eventually, he gave up and accepted his fate. The child let out a sigh and held his sister tightly. Trying to squirm out of the hug, the girl looked at him. "Mommy and daddy won't like this," she teased. He immediately let go of her and began to blush. She let out a giggle. "I'm kidding. They love it when we're together."

Hearing a commotion coming from the living room, the pair decided to go find out what was happening. They slowly tiptoed to the scene and saw their mother and father talking. It sounded like they were arguing; their voices were loud and words were blurted against one another. "M-Mother, father, are you alright?" Rouche asked shyly, walking to them. "Son!" Reed shouted, as if he was surprised. "What are you doing here?" The girl clung tightly to her brother's arm, whimpering softly. "W-We heard you...yelling..." His father was silent, not uttering a word.

The child asked Lucana what was going on and got the same response. Both parents looked at each other. Sighing, Reed began "Kids...you must know something,"

Lucana went to the kitchen and soon returned with some snacks. Like the children they were, both took a handful of snacks and began munching away.

Their mother smiled and sat in between them. "Your father and I must talk to you." "This isn't the talk that involves the birdies and bees is it?" Limera interrupted. Reed shook his head at the girl's question. "No no no. It's about us. Elgaia may seem to you like a peaceful land. And it was. No strife, and no fighting...but it soon turned to chaos. People began arguing...and soon many people...l-left." Both siblings listened quietly. "And then the worst case scenario. Demons invaded...and that's when it really turned to chaos." Reed explained to the kids about how the demons took control and destroyed much of the new land. "Now the people struggle to get their resources. They do sometimes come to us for help," their father finished.

Standing up, her being was suddenly filled with energy. "Let's go beat those demons!" Both her parents shook their heads and gave her sad expressions. "No...we are not going to," Lucana began. "Why?!" She growled. "You two could totally end those demons. You could beat them in seconds!"

"S-Sweetie...please don't yell at your parents," the motherly figure pleaded. "No. I want you to beat those-" "Enough!" Reed shouted, grabbing the little girl's arm. "Your mother and I already made the decision. We are just going to help people, we have no business in whatever those fools want."

His voice was cold, and his grip was tight. "Let go daddy!" Limera shouted flailing to get out of his grasp. "I hate you!" Before she knew it, she was down on the floor crying. Lucana gasped as she rushed over to her little girl. The boy was left bewildered as the whole scene finally started coming to him. Out of anger, his father had just- No, what he did was uncalled for. That man, Reed, was panting, finally realizing what he had done. He had struck his daughter in anger.

Slowly reaching over to help the girl up, she bit his hand as hard as she could. Their father shouted in pain, jerking his hand away from the small girl. Getting up, she ran to her room; shutting the door behind her. It was silent, and still. Everyone let out a long sigh and tried to continued their day like nothing had happened.

Reed and Lucana were cooking lunch, while Rouche was off training by his lonesome. If she was with him, her time would have be spent studying the tomes; which her mother had a huge supply of considering she had an entire bookshelf installed for them.

But right now Limera was sitting on her bed, looking down. She was conflicted on what to do next. On one hand she wanted to stay, but her heart wanted her to leave. To do what her parents could not.

A few hours passed, and Rhein opened her bedroom door. The girl was found crying into her pillow. Approaching her quietly, he sat down at the end of the bed. In a soft tone, he began to talk. It didn't matter what he said, her crying drowned out his voice as she drenched the pillow with tears. She then felt a hand pat her on the head. Looking up, she saw the man's worried expression. Helping her sit up, the blanket was used as an object to wipe her tears with. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice filled with sorrow.

"Your family wants you to come out. You've been in your room for awhile." Her voice still in a hushed tone, she mumbled, "I...don't want to come out." She tried hiding her face with the pillow again, but was met with its wet and cold content. Sighing, he took the pillow and flung it away. "Please tell me why you're crying."

"My family is useless. This house is useless! This place is useless! And, I want to...run away!" Rhein shook his head. "You shouldn't say that about the ones you love. Nobody in this world is useless." he began wiping the remaining tears from her face. "I am," she muttered.

"Everyone has something special about them, but I'm just some little weak girl, that everyone looks over. Mother and father are admired by everyone. You mastered martial arts...and R-Rouche...is just too strong to be...related to me." she finally coughed up. "You are weak, because you do not put in the effort to train like us. Everyone is born a weak, defenseless, baby. But everyone has the potential to become whatever they want," the man explained. "And if you want to become like your brother, then train."

Getting up, he left the girl alone. Waiting for him outside was no one else but Reed. "So what's the situation?" He asked. "She...she needs some time to herself."


	3. Independence

Alone in her room, Limera was face down on her pillow. Her tears stained the pillow cases, causing it to leave wet impressions on the soft material. The scene kept replaying in her mind. She was so powerless to stop it. How could she ever think of standing up to demons when she couldn't even protect herself? There was only one solution… and it would be the most difficult one to follow through on.

"...If I want...to become strong...if I want to be like everyone else...I have to train...that's what Rhein told me." She began packing. "I'll bring this, this, this," she listed, packing things in a small suitcase. Then there was a sudden knock on the door, making her quickly hide the suitcase. Getting on the bed, she pretended to be asleep. The door creaked slightly, and her parents came in.

"I told you everything was alright," Reed said, holding his wife's hand. Lucana sighed and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead; whispering gently into her ear "I love you," The child tried her best to act like she was asleep, her eyes were closed, and she was snoring softly.

As soon as they left, the poor girl began to cry. "Why...why do they love a person like me?" She asked herself, burying her face in her arms. Hours passed, and everyone was asleep...everyone except her. Just as the girl was about to finish, she came across her old staff that her father gave her.

Suddenly, a flashback came to her. It was her receiving the staff. The staff was taller than her at the time. At the end of the rod was a crystal. The orange crystal was cleanly polished, and reflected the light when the sun hit it. "I love it," she cheered hugging it tightly. Sitting down on her bed, she held the staff tightly. More tears began to trail down her face.

"Mother...father...Thank you for this gift. I will put it to good use!" Wiping away her tears, the child finished packing. "I will prove my worth to this family." She cracked the door open slowly. "Good everyone is asleep-" "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Someone interrupted.

Turning quickly, she saw who it was; Rouche. As she was suddenly pinned against the wall, she noticed the mix of emotions on his face. a combination of anger, sadness, and betrayal. "Sis...Why? Why are you doing this? You don't need to prove your strength to anybody. Both mom and dad love you for who you are. And I love you...because you're the most important to me." She started to tear up again, prompting him to let her go.

Sniffling, the girl spoke in a shaky voice. "I...I don't want to prove it just to you guys. I want to prove it to myself! You're so strong brother. You even impressed yourself with your capabilities. Now I want to do the same! I want to know what it feels like to be amazing, or ever useful." Shaking his head, her brother also began to cry. "I don't want you to go. I don't want you to get hurt! I couldn't imagine a world without you." he whispered, hugging her. As the kids sobbed, they felt a reassuring hand pat their shoulder. Turning their heads, they saw Rhein with a smile on his face.

"Limera, you want to run away yes?" He asked. She nodded. "And you'd like for your sister to be safe?" The boy nodded as well. "Then consider this. As much as it will pain me...and your parents, run to where your heart desires to be. Don't run away from it. Run with it. If it decides to go faster, then you follow it." There was no response from the child. Only silence. "Rouche, you too. Don't ever distance yourself from your sister. You must stay by her side, and follow her at all times." Smiling, the boy stated cheerfully "I love her with all my heart, of course I will stay by her side!" She couldn't believe his words. "D-Does he really mean that?"

The girl was in her own little world, thinking about Rhein's words, as was her brother. The boy felt two arms wrap around his. He saw the concerned look on her face. "Everything alright, sis?" He asked.

Limera took a step back. "I'm going!" She yelled running off. The older sibling sighed, grabbing some of their things, and chased after her. Finally catching up to her, he panted "For such a little girl, you run really fast." Normally, she would have laughed, but not now. There was too much on her mind. "There's no going back," she muttered, taking one last look at their house. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Tearing up, she nodded. "I want to make everyone proud!"

Rhein took a step outside; hearing the voice of the child only to find her and the boy nearly out of sight. He smiled bitterly as the two went on their way. "Goodluck you two..."

Looking at his younger sister running so freely, a smile plastered over her face, made him feel relieved. "This…." He thought to himself. "This is what she truly wanted." With no knowledge of where to actually go, Limera giggled. "Are you ready to do some traveling?" She asked. There was no hesitation in his answer. His heart already knew what he wanted. "We can go anywhere! As long as I'm there with you." Making his way over to him, she held his hand tightly. "I love you brother."

"I love you too."

"Let's go." they said in unison.


	4. The Return

Stumbling upon a market square, a young lady made her way through the setting. Taking in a deep whiff of the scents, she was filled with nostalgia. Glancing around until she found the same old merchant, she giggled happily. "It's been forever." Just as she made her way to purchase some of the goodies, a hand placed itself on her shoulder. "After all this time, you're still the same old you…" a now, much deeper voice said.

Turning around, she noticed it was her brother. He had a smile on his face, possibly from the exact same reason she did. Shaking his head, he let out a chuckle. "You're still much like a child, Limera."

Shrugging off his hand, she slipped a hand into his pocket, and took his wallet. "Maybe you should just spoil me a bit more." Nodding, the young man called the attention of the merchant. While the two munched on the cookies, the young lady took out a small flier from her knapsack.

"Join the Provisional Army. Make a difference, and show that you have what it takes to protect the lives of others." She read out loud. The young man remembered how she went on and on about this "Provisional Army." for quite sometime. Giving in to her begging, he finally agreed to help her reach her destination.

Sighing, he finally said what was bugging him for awhile. "Are you sure?" Eying him, she was silent. "You want to do this, right? Join them. I….won't be around anymore…" Smiling, the girl turned around and gave him a hug. "You always worry about me. These past few years, I've enjoyed your company."

Closing his eyes just so she wouldn't see the tears forming in his eyes, he kept the persona of the cool, calm person she has known for all her life. "I….guess it's time for you to move on." As much as it pained him to see her leave, this is what she wanted. Just like back then, she had made the same decision. "There's no stopping you when you put your mind to it, y'know?" Placing a hand against his cheek, she give it a gentle pinch. "You're so silly. I'm doing this all to show you what I'm capable of. I've already had the chance to prove myself."

Refusing to talk, he gave her a smile filled with pain, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. "Let's get going." He said. While on the path to where one of the sites of the army was held, the young lady kept looking at the corner of her. There was a shadowy figure following them around, but his presence didn't feel familiar. Whoever he was, she would confront him when given the chance.

Rouche seemed almost too calm. She was sure he would be fully aware of this stalker, but he just seemed….oblivious. Just when she was about to ask him, he took a detour into a dark alleyway. Squinting, Limera finally saw that he picked up the pace. He certainly knew someone was on their tail. Footsteps were heard echoing as the two made their way deeper and deeper into the dimly lit passage.

The next thing that happened seemed almost like a blur. Immediately being pushed onto the wall by her brother, he turned around sharply. His hand outstretched, a bright flash illuminated the alley, momentarily blinding their pursuer. Using this opportunity, the young man grabbed ahold of his dagger and lunged at them. Their recovery was much faster than he anticipated.

Dodging his attack effortlessly, he held one of the boy's arms painfully behind his back while pressing a blade against his throat. "I'm surprised." The voice now identified as male. "I thought she was the only one who knew of my presence." Letting him go, Rouche felt the pain in his arm; hugging it tightly.

Making his way to the girl, she didn't have enough time to cast any spells before he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It felt….just like Rhein's. "DON'T YOU DARE HURT HER!" He glared. The man laughed at the injured sibling's threat. "Please, do not fret. I was just telling her that you two needn't about me." He stated. " I am...but a friend." Limera looked at him strangely and mumbled, "A….mask? Why are you wearing that?"

Neither of the two could read his expression, but they could sense it was one of amusement. "I need to be kept hidden." Making his way back into the shadows, he waved goodbye. "If we meet again, I'll show you who I really am."

* * *

Making their way out of the alley, the boy sighed. "After all this time, I still can't protect you against everything." Shaking her head, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "He was obviously more experienced than either of us." Seeing that her convincing wasn't working, she tried again. "Maybe he was a spy! And spies are trained to be strong!" Hearing his laughter, Limera knew it was working. "Yeah. All we've done is read mother's small collection of spells you were able to gather." He said.

Nodding, she continued. "And no one's around to teach you how to actually use a sword!" The truth hurt his pride a bit. "I-I know." The next few minutes were spent reminiscing about their many adventures over the last few years.

When they finally got to the entrance of the Provisional Army's headquarters, they were redirected. Something about them being the children of hero's or what not. The young man didn't mind, but his sister let out a low growl. "I don't deserve special treatment. I want to prove myself!" Petting his sister, she eventually calmed down. Now he was ready to start off another conversation. "Just what do you think this "Randall Guard." is for?" The girl crossed her arms and puffed out her chest. "It's probably something cowards thought of." Ignoring her behavior, he continued on the trail.

Soon the siblings were taking a much needed break from traveling. Flipping through a recently bought book of some archaic nature, the girl stumbled upon some advanced fire magic. "Hey, hey brother!" She ran to his side, where he was resting near a tree. Opening an eye, he asked her what she had to show when she suddenly shoved the book in his hands. "Qua….Quadraft Ankh?" Giggling, she took the book from him. "With this, I'll become the strongest around!"

Her optimism was staggering. With every word she spoke, it only convinced him more that she truly has changed. A wave of sadness washed over him, and he pulled her in tightly. The girl didn't object to it, she only wrapped her arms around him; nuzzling his chest like she was a child again. "Brother, please don't be sad." Her voice quivered, on the verge of tears. "You know I don't like it when you're upset."

Shaking, he finally let the tears roll. The one person who he spent all his life with, was now going to leave him. They stayed that way for hours, until the two eventually fell asleep. Her warming embrace was enough to make him forget about the pain. That night, he dreamed of their childhood. So carefree….how he wish those days could return.

* * *

A/N: So after being gone for awhile, I think it's about time I posted the 4th chapter to this story. It will pick up from here. More characters will be introduced. Again, a review or whatnot would be very appreciated. Remember; it's the readers who motivate the writer. Lots of love to those who like the story!


	5. Change

"Well, this is goodbye, sis." Rouche said sadly. The young lady shook her head, and smiled. "We'll meet again, brother." Taking off her bag, she scrounged around, until she took out a small photo. Handing it over to him, he gasped. "Is this…"

"It is." She replied. "It's us. Mother, Father, you and me."

He started to choke up. Refusing for even more tears to be spilled, he returned her smile with his own. "Thank you." Glancing at the photo, he folded it neatly and placed it in his pocket. "I promise to take good care of it." Nodding, they both went on their separate paths.

* * *

Hours later, he was seen wandering around the empty streets at night. All the shops were closed, but he didn't want to sleep. There was too much on his mind bothering him. Did she fit in? Was there any problems that she has caused or gotten herself into? "Why am I worrying?" Shrugging it off, he continued. "Her heart is what fuels her. But…I...have nothing."

"Giving up so soon?" Letting out a shriek of terror, he fell on the ground. A hand grabbed ahold of his arm and lifted him up. "You really are a sight." It said.

Rouche was about to thank whoever it was that assisted him, but as soon as he got up, they simply vanished. "What….just happened?"

Shrugging off the event as if it never happened, he continued to walk down the street. Thankfully, a local tavern appeared at the far end corner of his vision. Maybe socializing with others would help ease his thoughts. Just maybe.

Walking in, men and women were seated all around, talking and ignoring him for the most part. Animal skins were used as cushions for seats. The tan walls were aligned with many photo's and name plaques commemorating various heroes and helpful figures throughout the lands young years. An awe of amazement escaped him as he noticed his father, in a much younger stage of his life, posing alongside his mother. Touching the frame, it almost seemed like a kind of relic. Valuable and one of a kind. "Our saviors of the Great Escape." He thought for a moment. "Mother and father….they were seen as heroes by everyone. Is this what she want's?"

Making his way to a stool, a waitress asked what he would like to order, to which he answered with just water. "Sir, you don't look like you're doing well." She said.

Flinching, Rouche nodded shyly.

"I have just the thing for you. I'll be right back."

Going into the back room, he was left all alone. Well, aside from the other customers around him. The aura of loneliness never left him. Noticing that he caught a few looks from some of the them, his gaze fell upon a woman. She looked formal, certainly out of place considering the appearance of the more rough looking crowd. It was almost as if her very presence would disturb the harmony around her, yet no one minded. An almost officer like coat studded with a few….what were they? A beret with a two colorful feathers protruding from the back. She didn't notice him staring, and casually drank what she ordered. If he didn't know any better, she could be-

"Here you go!" The waitress cheered, sliding him his drink. "It's on the house!"

Thanking her, he took a sip of the alcoholic contents. Gagging at first, he forced on a smile. Seeing this made her laugh. "W-What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" He asked.

"Oh, don't worry. You just have a great smile is all." Carrying a tray of drinks to a table, she looked back quickly and said; "To come so naturally, you must have someone very special."

Her words echoed in his mind for sometime. "Someone special?" Gulping down the drink, he felt a bit fuzzy. Still, his state of mind was clear and precise. After a few drinks, and using the money he acquired from doing some "exterminating", he was face down on the counter. All the drinks that he's had ever since that first one finally started showing their effects, and he was seen talking to an estranged figure right beside him.

"I tried so hard….and I still couldn't be with her." He whimpered, taking another sip. "What should I do? I don't know where to go…" A Mandragora was seated next to him, tasting the drink with it's roots. "BLARAGHAGHAGHG." Rouche nodded, almost like he could understand it. "You're right. If I want to stay by her side, then I WILL follow her everywhere."

The Mandragora gave a soft grunt and fell off the stool. Laughing uncontrollably, he knocked down all the empty glasses, as he stumbled outside. "Man... That plant thingy is hilarious."

* * *

Limera tapped her finger against the table. The place looked too good to be true. She felt….pampered. "This isn't what I wanted." She mumbled to herself. "I want to fight for the people! Not be stuck all the way back here." The masked man, now sitting across from her shook his head.

"I've already told you countless times, that the officials will only allow this to happen."

Huffing in annoyance, she began to bang her fists against the table. "Where's the food? And can you take that stupid mask off!? It's bothering me." Sighing, the man did as he was told to. "You know, you can't always get your way." Not caring whether or not she wanted to continue the conversation, she rested her head against the cloth of the table. "Training today was brutal….it's so late, yet we're barely having dinner."

"Maybe if you just got up earlier, then you wouldn't have to eat at this time."

A low growl emitted from her, as she knew he was just teasing her at this point. "Shut up! Look at you, you've been doing this far longer than I have!" Raising an eyebrow, he grinned. "So because of your lack of experience, this gives you the liberty of slacking off?"

No matter what way she put it in, he was right. In a last ditch effort, she tried coming up with an insult. "Whatever. If I wanted an old man to teach me how to fight, I would've gone to an elderly citizens house." She scoffed.

They both knew the insult didn't mean much, with her only sighing at her pathetic attempt. "I've been helping you along the way here. Showing you the ropes, and being your mentor."

A groan escaped her mouth. Great. Another lecture from her talkative teacher. Just what she needed. "Can we go back to silence? I love the sound of you not speaking for once."

Hearing footsteps approach her, she didn't bother to look behind her to know it was the chef. She heard a hushed conversation between the cook and Farzen. The sound of someone leaving caught her attention until she felt a hand stroke her hair. It was soothing, and loving. Gently moving a few strands back in place until they spoke up. "Dinner, is served."

Her head shot straight up when she recognized the voice. A warm smile was present on his face as he continued his action. "It's….It's really you!" Tackling him to the ground, she smothered his face in kisses.

"Y-Yes! I'm so happy to be here with you again." He said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "You don't mind if your brother sticks around for a bit longer, right?"

* * *

Even though she was fortunate enough to reunite with her brother, there was something that bothered her about it. "How did you even get here?" she asked. He thought for a moment. "Where to start..."

Clearing his throat, he began. "After I left, I didn't know where to go." She tilted her head in confusion at what he said. "But I thought you would feel more free, once I left."

"On the contrary. I felt much more limited. There was nothing more that I wanted to do. All because of-"

"HEY, HOT HEAD!" Both siblings jumped at the voice. Rouche was scanning the room to see who it would be until he heard his sister sigh. "What is it, Julius?"

Out of the hallway emerged a boy who was around her age. Something told him the two didn't quite get along. When he was finally within close proximity to her, he gave her a friendly pat on the back. "How's my favorite sorceress doing?"

The girl was sickened by his gesture and turned back to her brother. "So can you go on now?"

Chuckling, he shook hands with her "friend."

"It's nice to meet one of my sister's friends. Your name is Julius, right?"

"Yes, also the founder of this Guard."

That was a surprise to him. He never expected for someone so young, and let alone, just one person being able to make all of this?

Fixing the goggles on his head, the dark haired teen smirked. "Your little mage over there makes a good practice dummy."

"What do you mean?"

The young lady was practically fuming at this point. She didn't have to listen to this arrogant boy's incessant ramblings. Shoving him, he looked surprised for a minute. "Knock it off already!"

Transfixed by the situation, her older brother observed their exchange of words. Stopping before things got out of hand, he broke them up. "I'd hate to see this go on, so why don't we all just eat?"

Nodding reluctantly, they sat down at the table as he brought an extra two servings of the meal he had prepared. Stomachs growling, they all started digging in. He could practically hear her soft squeals of delight as she got another chance to try her brother's cooking. Turning his head to Julius, his jaw dropped as he saw him practically stuff the entire thing down. "I-Is it really that good?" He asked. Both of their faces had smiles as they told him it was the best thing they've had. Truth be told, he would feel horrible if he said that he just mixed random ingredients together.

"See? What'd I tell you." Limera said. "His culinary skills are second to none." Nodding in agreement, Julius relaxed in his chair. "Good thing we hired him as our chef."

A surprised look came over her face. "Chef?" She asked. "Since when?" Laughing nervously, Rouche sank in his chair. "A-About that…" Julius examined his appearance. "You know, you look very familiar."

"That hair, and those eyes." Tapping his chin, he appeared to be deep in thought. "I can't seem to put my finger on it." He didn't know why, but the young man blushed. Did he look that much like his mother? "Anyways," Julius said, getting up. "I'd like it if you joined us. You seem more than a mere cook." Contemplating for a minute, he went on. "Plus I know you're capable enough from hearing his report."

Not giving him time to respond, he got up and left; leaving the two alone.

Sighing once more, she apologized for his intrusion. Shaking his head, he chuckled. "No no, that's quite alright."

The past few days were rough. For the both of them. One more physical, than emotional. "So much training…" she muttered. "I won't ever drink again…." He coughed up. The two looked at each other and burst out laughing. That night, they spent the entire time talking about what had happened, and what not. The mysterious woman in the bar, along with his drinking buddy Mandragora. "I don't believe you drank with a monster." She giggled. Smiling, he nodded. "I'm not lying. We even had a great conversation."

Noticing her new apparel, he commented her on it. "You look even better than before, sis." Shaking his head, he sat down next to her. "I'm lying. You've always been a beautiful girl. Your personality and looks cannot be matched."

A scarlet blush stained her face at his compliment. "He's just being nice." She thought. "Don't fall for it." Pressing his forehead against hers, she could sense the sincerity in his voice. "I mean it. Please don't think I'm lying."

Standing up, she grabbed her brothers hand and brought him to her room. It was much bigger than he anticipated. The walls were just a plain white, but that didn't bother the girl at all. There was a dresser and night stand on the opposite side of her bed. Each either had a picture frame with something relating to her past or some shiny gem. Only a few days, and she already made herself at home.

That's what he thought anyways. Beside her bed was a frame of her posing for the camera. She had a bright smile, and held her staff tightly to her chest. This must've been when she first received her staff. His heart warmed up, as he looked at the photo once more.

Changing into her nightwear, which was just some shorts and a plain white shirt, she jumped in bed immediately. Patting a spot next to her, he lied down and felt her snuggling up against him. "Like old times." She mumbled. "Yeah. Like old times…"

* * *

Yawning, Rouche walked back to his sister's bedroom from getting a glass of water. A late night thirst shouldn't be ignored, as it will only deny you of that need for awhile. Something his father taught him a long time ago. When he was about to turn the corner, he bumped into a shadowy figure. He was going to apologize, but they silenced him before he even had the chance to speak. "If what you want to do...is protect her, follow me." Walking away, the figured revealed himself to be the man Limera referred to as "Farzen." Following him out into some courtyard, he felt a menacing presence from the shadows. Almost like it was observing him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake off the feeling. "Don't mind him." Farzen said, breaking him out of his state of paranoia. "He'll reveal himself to you in due time."

Finally nearing the very edge of the site, there was a pond. He could hear the creatures that inhabited the small body of water. The moonlight shimmered across the small body of water.

Suddenly, his hands felt weighted as he was holding the familiar looking blade the masked man wielded. "Go on." Confused as he was, the young man knew what he was talking about. "Well?"

Gripping the handle, he slashed at where the man was, before realizing there was nothing. Before he knew it, someone knocked him forward, causing the sword to slip out of his grip. "I was expecting much more from you."

What he said bothered the him. The insult had obviously stung him, but at the same time, fueling him. Getting back up, he grabbed the weapon again and took another series of slashes, each time missing it's target. Using the same move as before, Farzen quickly overpowered the younger male. Holding his hand behind him painfully, Rouche winced at the uncomfortable angle. "Already lost?"

Snarling, he struggled to place his free hand against his stronger opponents body. He wasn't going to lose a second time. No, not when he still has to reach his goals. Once he did, Farzen thought nothing of it until he felt a strong electrical surge course through his body, momentarily disabling him. Using this opening, the newly born swordsman stabbed the earth with his blade, while keeping his hand outstretched. Warning him of another magical attack incase he got any clever ideas. "Quick wit, and the strength to overcome any adversary." Holding his hands up in a defeat, Farzen smiled for the first time. "I concede."

Rouche giggled like a child, ecstatic about his victory. Thanking him for his sparring session, the masked man shook his head. "No. This wasn't practice. I'm only showing you what you are truly capable of." Using the blade as a sort of leverage, he got back on his feet. "I'll just be taking what's mine back." Saying this, a frown appeared on the young ones face. "Hey, you'll get your own weapon eventually. Now go rest up."

Dusting himself off, he made his way to the older male's side. "Is this the last time you'll teach me anything?" Putting a hand on his head, Farzen gave him an affectionate pat. Like a father would. "I'm not your teacher or mentor. I'll guide you. You have a gift, that even you do not know of." Tapping the water's surface, it quickly froze over. "Something that you have, even if it looks insignificant; has much more purpose and meaning than you will ever understand." Pressing his palm against the cool ice, it returned back to it's normal state. "When you truly comprehend its purpose, is when you yourself see things in a manner others can't.


	6. Fanaticism

**-So now that the world building/setting has been established, it's time to move on to the most, in my opinion, "special" unit out of the batch. It's short, but well worth the read. Enjoy!**

* * *

The morning sunlight was drowned out by the blinds. Opening her eyes, she saw her brother's face; sleeping soundly, across from her. Rubbing her eyes of sleep, she did a double check to see if her eyes were playing tricks on her. He stayed in the same state as when she woke up. Unmoving, yet peaceful. "You really are here to stay, aren't you?"

Getting herself out of bed, she decided that it was time to start off her day. Dressing up in her regular apparel which consisted of a pair of tan boots, much like the color of her room; a blue skirt along with a black and orange kama buckled together at her waist, an orange crop top, wrist guard, and pauldron. Brushing her hair, she fitted her golden black choker on.

Finishing up, she headed over to her brother, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

As she made her way out into the courtyard, she saw Julius wandering about. He often called himself a "Sky Pirate." Although, the only thing higher than that name was his sense of authority. This did bring up a thought. They did need an official leader, not just a figure. Shrugging off the matter, she headed towards the kitchen. Arriving at the dining hall, her senses were hit with the smell of batter and scrambled eggs.

Patiently waiting for her breakfast to be served, Limera saw that no one else was around. Asking the chef where the rest were, he didn't respond as he kept rushing to and fro. "That's strange. Normally he isn't this busy." She thought. If it's anything trivial, the sorceress would have thought that Farzen and the others would be dealing with something major.

Even to her, the morning seemed rather dull without Farzen and the other's to enjoy her meal with. Hell, Julius would have made an argument seem rather fun. Shortly after finishing breakfast, Limera aimlessly walked down the hall until she heard a feminine voice going on and on about a certain someone.

With how well the walls were built, she couldn't single out what the topic was about. Noticing that the sound came from the last door at the end of the hallway, she approached it, cracking it open.

In the room, she saw posters, figurines, and even books all about...Weiss? Really? What was so special about him anyways? If anything, he looked more like any average male with silver hair. Well, that'd be a bit too insulting for her to think of him in that sort of way. Who could be so obsessed about one person, that they would need to make their room some sort of shrine.

"Hello there!" A voice rang out beside her, startling the girl. "Nice to meet you!" They said, extending their hand out in a greeting. Unsure of what to do, she shook her hand and looked around the room. This caught the attention of the fanatic. "So you're a fan of The Great General Weiss too, huh?"

Grabbing her hand, she sat Limera down on her bed and opened a book. "You see here. This is something written by the ACTUAL Weiss himself! Pretty cool if I say so myself."

The sorceress looked as lost and helpless as a cub. What was she supposed to say? One moment everything seemed normal and now mountains of materials and quotes are being pushed her way? This person finally noticed her bewilderment, and apologized. "OH, how careless of me! I have yet to introduce myself." Bowing down at the waist, she took off her beret. "The name's Estelle, otherwise known as the founder, treasurer and secretary of the Weiss club."

Remaining silent, she was still just as confused as she was a moment ago. Her mind went haywire at the thought of trying to comprehend this...almost lunatic-like woman. "Ah, so you're having difficulty understanding why I think so highly of him, eh?" Panicking, the young lady shook her head. "NO NO NO! Please, I was-" Running to the kitchen quickly, Estelle grabbed some drinks. "There's no need to panic. We'll go through every detail as to why I think he was an amazing general."

With the drink in hand, the sorceress sat silently as the fanatic went on and on. From going over "fun facts" about this general's life, to the many battles he was involved in. Having just about enough of her talking, she lied down on the bed. "Wait, what're you doing? You can't go to sleep when there's so much more to learn!"

Waving her off, Limera closed her eyes. "...I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT MYSELF IF YOU WANT!" Finally, a different topic she didn't mind. Sitting back up, the girl took a sip of her drink. "Where to start, where to start…" Unsheathing the rapier at her side, she held the weapon dramatically high in the air. "First of all, it was because of me that one migration towards this wonderful land of ours occurred!" she took quick thrusts with it, seemingly only to show off, but accidentally puncturing one of the figurines in the process. Screaming hysterically, she cradled the item in her arms. "SPEAK TO ME WEISS!"

Laughing at the woman's reaction, Limera fell back on the bed hugging her waist. This was too good to be true. Wiping away the tears in her eyes, she saw the fanatic composed once more. Well, as composed as she could be. "Sorry about that, sometimes I really do get carried away." Adjusting her glasses, she continued. "What I was saying was-

oh dear me!" She saw her run to one of the bookshelves containing his many works, and fixed an out of place book. "Ah, sweet harmony."

Slowly tiptoeing out of the room, she was caught red handed. "Hey, where 'ya going so soon?" Sighing, she returned to her seat. "Please, continue."

Puffing her chest out in a prideful manner, the fanatic continued. "And a brilliant tactician. The official's even gave me a place inside the Government."

That vexed the sorceress. It was because of political turmoil that caused all this trouble. An actual politic was in her midst. "...You." Smiling, the tactician asked her what was wrong. "You...it's all because of your kind that this all happened." She didn't quite understand what the younger female was talking about. "You tore my family apart!"

Shocked by the acquisition, the tactician kept on asking what was troubling her. Disgusted by her mere presence, she left her room only to bump into Farzen. Looking down at the floor, she felt like breaking down at the spot. "Whatever's troubling you," he began, lifting her chin up. "There are people who are here to help. Never be ashamed about asking for help; regardless if it's someone who you've come to hate."

Sobbing for what felt like minutes, she smiled weakly, and headed back in the opposite direction. Knocking on the door, the voice on the opposite side allowed her in. Estelle was seen dusting off some of her things. Walking slowly towards her, Limera fidgeted around nervously. "I know." A look of surprise showed on the fanatics face. "It wasn't you who…" clearing her throat, she tried again. "I was only blaming you for being one of them."

Estelle grabbed a book, and read from a section she bookmarked. "No matter what the cause or situation, our union shall be our strength." The tactician giggled, then the giggle broke into a hearty laugh. "What do you think? Sounds cool right?"


	7. The Fencer

That afternoon, Limera went back to her room to check up on Rouche. To her surprise, he was still out like a light. Walking to the side of her bed, she lightly shook him awake. Opening his eyes slowly, he checked the blinding light in the room, and discovered it was already past noon.

"C'mon. Get up sleepyhead." She murmured.

Yawning as he got up, the newly appointed chef scanned the room quickly. It's been awhile since he's slept on a bed at all. Putting on his boots, he started followed Limera down to the kitchen until he was held back. Shooting a questioning glance at his sister, she flinched.

"I was thinking," she started. "Instead of going straight to cooking, can you come with me for a minute?"

Smiling, he followed her off into some hallway he hadn't seen before. He could've sworn it sounded like someone was….. delivering a speech? No, that's not right. His worst fears were proven once he entered the same room where the source of the voice was located.

Well, he would be lying. He never expected to see someone who was obsessed over one person. Catching a glimpse of where the voice originated, he was surprised to see the same woman he saw at the tavern. "And she turned out to be a total lunatic." He whispered to himself. Limera laughed a bit too loudly at his comment, stopping Estelle mid sentence. "Hello! You must be...L….Lushe?" Seeing as her answer was wrong, she tried again. "Sorry about that. Now let me see…." Studying him for awhile, she showed a wide grin. "Rouche, if I'm correct. Glad to meet you, and this friend of yours." Huddling with the two, she hopped around eagerly. "Are you two lovers? Of course! That explains why she said you were resting in her room!"

Mouthing the words "help me" at Limera, she herself, wanted a way out of this. An idea hatched in the sorceress's mind. "Estelle, why don't you read us one of his many successful strategies, in greater detail."

Face beaming with excitement, the tactician ran over to her bookshelf and scanned through her collection. "What would you two like? Maybe something concerning the Great Migration? Or perhaps his years as an official general in the Atharvan Army?" Pulling one of the volumes out, she turned around to face no one. "Where'd they go?"

Smiling apologetically at her brother, she sighed. "A handful? I know. And she's supposed to be my superior."

Who knew someone could be so talkative. Never in their travels have they met someone like her. When they arrived at the kitchen, Limera followed her brother all around. "Doesn't this feel familiar?" He asked. Giggling like a little girl, she nodded. It was just like another scene from their childhood. Making her breakfast when their parents wouldn't be around in the mornings.

When he wouldn't be looking, she would throw in some spices she found lying around. Curious of the flavor, she tasted the meal he was currently preparing.

Unfortunately for her, it wasn't so pleasant. Even with her knowing of the distastefulness of the meal, she was afraid of telling her brother of her meddling with it. Gulping down her fear, a question popped in her head. "W-Why're you preparing this so early?" Rouche thought of it for a moment, and came up with nothing. "I don't know, but Farzen told me we had a special guest today." "Guest?" She asked. "Yeah, someone who trained under a La Veda fencer named Dolk."

Limera couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Dork? Who's that?" Placing the meal on a silver platter, Rouche laughed. "Dolk, not Dork. He's some sort of master." He stopped to look at her when he was near the dining room's entrance. "Aren't you supposed to be training?"

Shrugging off his question, she remained silent.

Making their way to the dinner table, he felt the same menacing presence as before. It was almost demonic, causing him to shiver. Seeing the state her older brother was in, she grew worried.

"Why'd you stop? Is there-"

The room felt clouded in poisonous cloud; as if one more second being in it would render him to collapse. Meeting the gaze of a stranger he's never seen before, he slowly made his way towards him. Placing the tray in front of him, he gave a quick bow. "Y-Your dinner is served."

Saying nothing, the stranger ate away at his meal. From the corner of his eye, Rouche could see his sister watching fearfully. This only worsened his paranoia.

Finishing the meal, the man used a napkin to clean off the leftovers on his face. Now facing the young one, he remained silent as ever. Those same piercing eyes that watched him last night continued staring at suspense was almost tangible. Neither of the two would break contact. Suddenly, Rouche saw a small flicker of light appear; knocking down the man. Glancing at where his sister was, he saw her with one of the spellbooks she had in her collection.

Her attack didn't surprise him, it was the childish squeal from the older male that did. Now, the situation felt more like a staged satyr. Peeking from the edge of the table, he was shaken.

Why did there have to be so many strange characters around this entire complex, he thought to himself. Having enough of the unneeded stress, Rouche helped him up. "HELLO, MYNAMEISLABERD."

Both siblings were dumbfounded by his outburst. "Ummm…" feeling around for a note, Laberd handed the paper to the boy. "That'll explain everything." Siding by him, Limera peeked at the neatly written words. "So….you're here to introduce yourself to us?" They asked simultaneously. His nervous hand gestures were a sign for yes, or at least that's what they thought. "Wait, if you've been here all this time, then why didn't you just do this earlier?" She inquired.

Laberd kept on mumbling incoherently for the next few minutes. Having about enough of his incomprehensible speech, the sorceress took her book out again. "Okay, I think I've had enough of this." Snatching the book away from her, Rouche gave her a light whack on the head. "I'm sorry for her behavior. Usually, she's much more tolerable of others."

There was a gust of wind followed by an icy sensation at their skin. Limera looked down and saw that she was literally frozen in place. Rouche turned his attention to where the wind came from and found an angry Ice Knight. "Just what do you think you're doing to him?" Putting himself between the pair, he gave each a hard pat on the back. "Why are you being so rude to my dear friend?" The girl was shaking from the freezing cold. Her brother was hyperventilating as the ice crept up higher and higher, stopping at his chest. "Now, say sorry, and I'll free you both."

Hating to admit to the truth, the young lady gave a slight huff and looked away. He did the same, causing Farzen to pull painfully on their cheeks with an icy touch. "Let me try this again. I want you to make amends with him. I don't care what you both have to say, do it now, or suffer the consequences." Swallowing their pride at that moment, they both blurted out "WE'RE SORRY."

Smiling, the Ice Knight unfroze the two. The sorceress hugged her brother tightly, trying her best to keep warm. Dismissing the two to go change out of their soggy clothing, he went to go stand by Laberd. "So what do you think?"

Dropping his shy persona, the man watched the two leave. "Certainly an interesting pair."

Farzen let out a mock gasp. "Coming from the student of the Great Dolk? Laberd, I'm stunned." Playfully pushing him, the "has been student" looked out the kitchen window. "So what should I do with the boy? Yesterday it looks like you threw in the match." The Ice knight shrugged. "I wouldn't say that, but I want him to enjoy his small victory. This generation, those two and Julius, are more capable of changing this world for the better."


	8. Commending Strength: Part 1

Soaring through the air, a messenger pigeon was seen holding a small note. It flew over the city of Randall, gaining zero to no attention as it neared the plaza where the Randall Guard was stationed. Spotting a flashy dressed woman, the bird swooped in, and stopped her dead in her tracks. Tilting her head in confusion, she crouched down. "Hey there, what're you doing out at a place like this?" she asked, perplexed by the sash worn around its neck. On its back, there was what she assumed to be a capsule.

"What'd you bring us?" Her only response was the bird's cooing; followed with a blank stare. Laughing to herself, she shook her head, and carefully maneuvered her hand on the lid of the capsule. The inside of the object revealed a rolled up piece of paper. Unfurling the message, it became obvious that this was a letter from the Government Officials.

"It has come to our attention that we do not have the manpower to keep track of every demonic outbreak that is bestowed upon us. Because of this, and many other reasons, we are placing one of you; the few chosen, to lead your establishment." she read aloud. "In a few hours, one of our representatives will come and inaugurate someone we have found to be the perfect fit." Gasping, she ran off to assemble the rest of the Guard. Taking her leave as a mission accomplished, the pigeon flew back in the direction it came from.

Opening the door to the dining room, she saw Rouche, Limera, and Farzen refreshing themselves with some water, and going over the events of their last demon slaying mission. Noticing her sudden burst into the room, they all shot her confused looks. "What's wrong Estelle?" the swordsman asked. "Have we been alerted of another attack?" the masked man added. "If this is about another one of Weiss' tales, then that'll have to wait until we're through talking." the sorceress finished. Ignoring the last remark, the Tactician slammed the note down on the table, causing the water in the glass to ripple. "This is big news!"

Handing out the note, each and every one of them read it carefully. Their eyes widened in surprise with what the contents of the letter contained. "Are….they serious?" Rouche asked, his eyes gleaming with awe. Returning the note to the tactician, Estelle rolled it up, pulled one of the feathers stuck in her beret, and pinned the paper to it. "I don't necessarily recall them having a sense of humor." she joked, fixing the accessory on her head.

Apologizing for his question, the tactician waved it off. "That doesn't matter at this point. Now, we have to alert the others." she said, heading out toward where she'd most likely find the sky pirate. The range field.

On her way, she heard the sound of bullets piercing metal. Finally making it past the entrance to the range, she observed Julius as he skillfully wielded his pistol with only one hand. It didn't hinder his accuracy one bit. Every shot landed squarely on the center of his target. Clapping at the impressive display, the sky pirate turned to see Estelle standing at the doorway. "So, did you drop by to tell me how amazing I am?"

Chuckling to herself, she unpinned the note. "I surely am impressed by your display, but I came for a different reason." she clarified, handing over the message.

Reading through it thoroughly, his expression changed from mild amusement, to ecstatic. His hands shook from the excitement coursing through his system. Would this be his chance to shine? He was a shoo-in for this promotion. It was his idea to create the Randall Guard as a form of protection for the people, but he didn't know that those in higher power would think of making this proposition. Smiling, he gave the tactician a tight hug.

The act was so sudden, it caught her by surprise. "You sure are peppy." she teased, squirming out of his hold. "S-Sorry. I just can't believe this!" he nearly shouted, a slight red tinge staining his cheeks. After the two partook in some small talk, she instructed him to head to the conference room. Not asking why, he immediately bolted towards the room. Such as the usually impulsive Julius is.

Strangely enough for the last member of the Guard, Laberd wasn't so difficult to find. He was stationed at his post, which was a means that no one wandered into the facility. Explaining the current situation to him, nothing about it sent any kind of emotion to the man. Silence was his only response, but she knew he wouldn't miss out on it. "Let's head to the conference room." she muttered. The walk to the room was silent. Neither spoke a word, or even tried starting a conversation.

Once the two entered, they were greeted with the rest of their comrades. Taking a seat at the table, the tactician lead the meeting. "As we all know, the representative will arrive in a few hours. With that being said, we cannot allow them to feel unwelcomed." Staring blankly at her, Limera conjured up several small flames on her fingertips.

Blowing them out, Rouche gave her an angry look. Clearing his throat, he spoke up. "Since this will be an inauguration, why don't we set up a celebration of some sorts?"

Entertained by his idea, Estelle nodded. "That sounds great! Now, all we have to do is figure out what to assign the others with."

"I can bake something up. A pastry or two." He offered. "Perfect. Your culinary skills are great nonetheless." Putting a finger to her chin, she tried coming up with what the others would be busy with. "Laberd, if you wouldn't mind, can you clean up the place? This room will be enough." the swordsman continued. "Limera, Julius, I need you two to get a cake. Any flavor will be good enough-" "Wait, why do I need to go with him?! And more importantly, why a cake!?" she yelled.

"What's wrong with me?" Julius asked. Scolding her, the elder sibling carried on. "Estelle, I want you to decorate the place with whatever you got. And Farzen, I need you to go around and make sure everyone's doing what they have to do. Be sure to help them out if need be." As the adults followed his orders, the two adolescents at his side were busy arguing. Pulling her by the arm, Rouche smiled devilishly. "Sis, if you don't go now, I promise to not save anything for you." A frightened squeal escaped the sorceress at his threat. Grabbing the sky pirates hand, she hurried off towards the market.

Snickering, the swordsman went on his way to the kitchen, where he would soon spend the next hour baking up treats for the others.

* * *

Back in town, the sorceress and sky pirate searched for a bakery. Still being dressed in their normal attire, they caught strange glances from the passerby's. Growing annoyed by them, she shoved the sky pirate aside. "They're looking at us funny because you have that stupid long coat on!" she snapped. Eyes twitching, he shoved back. "Look at me?! Look at you! Your hair makes your head look big! Talk about why they call you hothead. And please, wear something that conforms to girls who shouldn't dress like they're going out to have a fun night out." he replied. Sighing, the girl hunched over. "I'm really only doing this to release pent up stress." she admitted. Shrugging, Julius remained silent.

Wandering around aimlessly, the two stumbled upon a bakery. Entering, the pair walked up to the counter, where a man was working. He smiled at the two, and asked them what they would like. "Do you by any chance, have a chocolate cake with the words "Congratulations" spelt in whipped cream?" the sorceress ordered. "That'd be half an hour from now." he answered.

Telling him they'd be back when it was done, the pair left. Now what to do? Together, for half an hour. Was this some type of torture? She didn't necessarily hate him, she just disliked him was all. Well, he did have some annoying points to his personality. Seeing a bench nearby, they sat down. No topics of interest popped up in their minds. This was going to be the most boring thirty minutes in her life, the sorceress thought. It was like a cliche from a book she read. Stuck with the guy she doesn't want to be around. Although she remembered the main female lead falling in love with them. Love…..those words echoed in her mind.

In all honesty, she wasn't doing this just because her brother had threatened her. She could very well get passed without eating his specially made food. She only did this because she loved and trusted her brother enough to believe this was for her own good. Using her elbow as leverage, she rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. Looking at the world through a different point of view,

Still, even with how things turned out, it wasn't so bad. The one thing she was curious about was the whole ceremony. Who would be charged with that much power? Farzen? No, he wasn't the type to lead, but he was a strong judge of character. Estelle? Well….with how her mind operates, she wasn't so sure. One strong point she did have was those moments when the tactician would actually take things seriously; although that happened rarely. Laberd was out of the question. He had as much character as a wall. Rouche? Nothing he's done so far has made him appear to be the leader type of figure. She shouldn't be so quick to judge. There were some qualities he did have over the others. Julius? Many people already considered him the new hero of the generation. She grew jealous. He probably had a fanbase. Herself? She wasn't interested in the position really. As long as she could save others, that's all that really mattered.

Feeling something crawling up her arm, the sorceress brushed it off. The sensation kept persisting, irritating her. Pressing her finger against the spot where the source was located, she felt….hair….and a bulbous form. There were thin limbs...that felt like legs….legs…" Legs…!" screaming, she slapped the creature off of her arm.

On the ground, the culprit turned out to be a spider. It was the size of a single piece of zel. Most would react appropriately to a creature such as this. Except Limera, who like many, has a fear of spiders. Holding out her hand, she sent out a surge of fire. Scorching the entire area around the arachnoid. Panting, she stared at the burned remains. Out of nowhere, a barrage of compacted thunderbolts caused the remains to turn into ash. Julius, screaming for every shot he took, showed no mercy.

When the dust settled, the two were seen holding each other tightly. The battle had been won! A victory for the human race! "YOU WERE NEVER A MATCH FOR US!" the sorceress laughed obnoxiously. Shooting the air, the sky pirate agreed. "IF YOU MESS WITH US EVER AGAIN, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SEND YOU ALL INTO OBLIVION!"

Calming down, they looked at each other and smiled, before doubling over in a fit of laughter. "You're scared of those too?" Limera asked breathlessly, wiping a few tears aside. "Do you know how many eyes those monsters have? They're worse than demons!" he cackled. "Demons may have other worldly powers, but they don't win in looks against those monstrosities!" she scoffed.

Enjoying their little laugh, it eventually died down, and the two began talking about other things besides the mutual fear they shared. "So, what was your childhood like, hothead?" he asked. Trying to come up with a short, but thorough response, the sorceress hesitated. "I guess it was an average one…" she mumbled. "When I learned my mother and father were heroes, and all these people looked up to them, I studied magic every day. Just so when I was older and more experienced, I could help others." blushing, she fiddled with her thumbs. "My brother was also a big part of it. When I wasn't indulging myself in reading, he took me out. To play, to buy some snacks, or just spend time together."

Snapping her fingers, a flash surrounded the two, As soon as it was there, it was gone. Pulling her fist back, she threw a punch directly at the sky pirate, making him flinch. Before it could make contact, a barrier caused her fist to bounce off.

Slowly opening his eyes, the sky pirate felt unharmed. No pain...no bruise….nothing. "What you experienced was a conventional form of magic. It protects you from both physical, and mental danger. Brother never liked learning this kind, he told me it was boring." Nodding his head, Julius was intrigued on what else he could learn. "So, what kind does he know then?"

Grinning, the sorceress stretched her arms out. "Why the sudden interest?"

Rolling his eyes, the sky pirate pinched her arm. Yelping, Limera finally gave in. "Fine fine, but don't tell him I said anything! For starters, his is more...unique, to put it simply."

"Unique?" Now this he had to hear. Leaning back against the bench, Limera gazed at the sky. "It's a mix between various things, really. He's never been able to grasp the fundamentals of it. Not only that, but his heart isn't in the right place. Don't worry, it's as passionate as my own, but there is one thing missing." Lowering his goggles down to his face, he cleaned them with his sleeve. "Some people are born with it, others are not. Protecting those he cares about. He doesn't want to be considered weak and side lined while his defenseless comrades go down. That's why he's learned more destructive spells. He's even learned some forbidden forms of magic that sap away at any entities life force. Rapidly eating away from the inside out."

The swordsman never talked about his past, or himself in general. "I guess he isn't the type to brag." Julius noted.

Having spent so much time talking about her own life, she wanted to learn about his. "What about you? What was yours like?"

"There." he said, pointing up at the sky. Confused as to what he meant, the sky pirate explained. "Well, how do you think I got this title?" A light bulb went off in her head. She knew exactly why. "Because you're a dirty, good for nothing, thief!" she exclaimed. Stares pierced into him from the crowd. This was a grave misunderstanding. "NO NO! I got it from those two!" A blank drew in her mind. None of this made sense. Was he going insane?

"Grafl and Falma. They were my saviors back when I had nowhere left to go. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here." So they did share more than one miscellaneous fear. The acknowledgement of those who gave them everything they could, even when they didn't want, or hope for it. They weren't so different after all.

Pulling out a picture from one of his pockets, he handed it over to her. "Who are they?" she asked. In the photo, there were two older men with a young Julius. He was holding a pistol that was too big for him to wield, but still posed with it, like the other man who held a similar weapon. "That's Grafl and Falma." he answered. "They saved me when I was a child, and took me around in their airship. We've had many adventures…" Memories….not everyone was raised the same way her and Rouche were.

They were more privileged, never having to struggle before, and getting by with just their names alone. "Want to know why I have that saved? So I never forget about all the fun times we had. When that was taken, it was on a special occasion. My birthday." Pausing, he noticed that some time had passed since they've rested. An hour? It was already past noon. "I want to be just like them….a hero.".

Aspiring to be as great as their role models, but could they really reach it? Heroes only appear during great times of crisis, and the last generation to deal with one was nearly wiped out. Should it be bad that they want tragedy to befall on the innocents? No, they didn't wish for that. All they were asking for was a time to shine. Returning the photo, she smiled. "It's a bit too late for you being a hero." she admitted. Earning a hurt look from him, she shook her head. "Others already view you as one." Kicking up some dust with her boot, the sorceress laughed. "Pretty neat name. Hero of the new generation."

Standing up, the two made their way to the bakery. When they arrived, a cake was set on the counter. Sitting on a round metal tray, it was ready to go. Ringing on the bell near the register, the shop keeper walked over to them, greeting them. Paying for the baked good, Julius picked it up, and with Limera, walked out of the store. In an uneventful trip back, the two discussed about future plans, and hobbies.

Making their way back to the plaza, the pair noticed all the commotion going on. Farzen was bringing back trays of pastries from the kitchen, and back to the conference room. The sweet smell in the air hit them like a truck, causing their mouths to water.

Hurrying back into the conference room, they were met with the sight of a beautifully decorated room. The table in the center had a light blue cloth covering it, with a vase of freshly picked lily's. Two separate trays of freshly baked croissants and macaroons were placed on opposite sides of the table. The chairs were shrouded over with the same light blue cloth that was on the table, and had a sash on the back. White cups were set in front of each seat on the table for every member. Red, clear silken garments were hung on each wall, coming together on the ceiling to form arches.

"Hiya! Glad you guys could make it back on time!" a familiar voice shouted from behind them. Turning around, the two were met with the sight of a formally dressed Estelle. She wore a short white dress, that had red and gold diamond shaped markings on the skirt. An accessory that resembled a red feather was stuck in her hair for the final touch. Complimenting her on the new look, she seemed flustered by their comments. "This isn't anything too stylish, and I thought I'd take a nice change of pace." she said.

Both laughed under their breaths, causing the tactician to blush from embarrassment. Bidding farewell, the sky pirate and sorceress went their separate ways to change for the event.

Scrounging through her closet, Limera picked a salmon colored lace dress. Changing out of her outfit and into it, she fixed the sleeves, whilst smoothing out the wrinkles. The pendant she usually had clipped onto her belt was now fit around her neck. Brushing her hair, the sorceress headed back to the conference room.

Estelle was busy doing a headcount on the snacks, decorations, and silverware. Her and Julius were the only ones present in the room. His image didn't change much. He still had the same long coat on, except now he was in dress pants and a white shirt. "You look nice." she complimented.

"Thanks, you don't look half bad yourself." he replied. Turning to the sound of footsteps, they saw the rest of the Randall Guard entering the room.

Laberd and Farzen practically wore the same thing. Something told the sorceress that they weren't that big on dressing up. Lastly, Rouche walked in. He wore a black suit, with a white undershirt, aqua colored vest, and purple tie. The suit's shirt wasn't buttoned up, as he said it felt like it was too constricting. "Well, how does it look?"

Everyone remained quiet.

That was a bad response.

"It makes you look cool." Julius stated. "Why would that matter to you?" Farzen chimed in. Struggling to find what to say, Limera looked at him oddly. "Brother, I feel like you're trying too hard."

His dignity crushed with the last statement, Rouche went to go sulk in the corner.

"What's wrong with him?" the sky pirate asked. Shrugging, Limera and company sat down at the table. A stainless steel teapot was passed around, each person pouring themselves a cup. Macaroons and croissants were distributed around, one of each for everyone. Taking a bite of the croissant, the crunchy, flakey, buttery texture rolled on their tastebuds. With a sip of tea, it made for a great combination. Sounds of delight left all of them at the taste.

Biting into the macaroons, the sorceress was enchanted by the sweet, toasty, coconut flavor. Finally joining them, Rouche grabbed one of each, and enjoyed this pastime with them. Soon, they all heard a knock at the door. Opening it, the group was introduced to a formally dressed woman. From the looks of it, this was the representative. Short black hair and gray eyes.

"Good afternoon. Today, I have come to promote one of you to the esteemed position of Commanding Officer." Not wanting to come off as rude, all the members stood up from their seats. Inspecting everyone, the representative approached Rouche and Julius. "I'm impressed by what they told me." she muttered. "A fine young man like yourself to lead would be the obvious choice." the way she spoke didn't seem directed at either of them.

Julius was riled up. He couldn't believe it. Did they actually consider him as an option? Her indirect compliment fed his ego, making him grin. "Now, it's been decided. Rouche, first born son of Reed and Lucana, you are hereby dubbed the Commanding Officer of the Randall Guard." she declared.

The room erupted with the loud cheers of his sister, and Estelle. Laberd clapped solemnly while Farzen threw him a smile, followed with a pat on the back. The newly appointed Commanding Officer was awestruck. "Is...this really happening..?" he thought to himself. Running up to him, his sister wrapped her arms around his waist; giving him a tight hug. "Congratulations, brother!"

At a loss for words, he couldn't express how he felt. Was he ready for this kind of responsibility? Being brought out from his train of thought by the others giving him a playful push, Rouche smiled sheepishly. Maybe….with their support, he was ready to take charge. "I may be inexperienced, and with that, brings difficulty, but I will do my best!" he proclaimed.

Something welled within his spirit. Optimism, confidence, and passion. "With this power indebted to me, I will make sure to keep the citizens of Elgaia safe!"

Finishing up, he earned a few amazed glances from the crowd. Estelle was furiously scribbling down what he just said in her own notebook. "Brilliant! We might just have another Weiss on our hands." she noted. Judging by the tone of his voice, and expression, Farzen knew he meant every word. For a split second, he thought he saw Laberd crack a smile.

By this time, the representative had bid her last farewells. The room was now lively with activity; even the usually quiet Laberd was chatting with Farzen over some tea. The tactician was busy advising Rouche about the obligations he had to commit on a daily basis. Thankfully for him, he didn't have to do paperwork of any sort. His only job would be to steer them in the right direction. To guide them at the darkest hour, and never be afraid to order them around when need be. The last part caught his attention. "Order? I can't force others to do my bidding." he interjected.

Furrowing her brow, Estelle had to set him on the right path. "That doesn't work for you. Now, we all have to follow you. You're our commander, now start acting like one."

Flinching slightly, he nodded reluctantly. Seeing the discomfort on his face, Estelle reached over and tweaked his cheek "Do not fret, you're still young after all. That being said, you'll have more than enough time to grow."she reassured him. Believing in what she said, the commanding officer relaxed. If he waits patiently, then surely he will become a respectable leader.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Julius approaching him. Maybe he was going to commend him for the rank. That's what he thought, until he noticed the anger flashing in his eyes. Crossing his arms, the sky pirate glared at him. "How much did you pay her for the position?" he asked angrily. Raising an eyebrow, Rouche was unsure about what he was referring to. "Quit with the act. I know you rigged this!" he yelled, grabbing ahold of his collar. "Julius, you let him go this instance!" the tactician ordered, rushing over to the two.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he released his grip on the confused commanding officer's shirt.

"I-If this is about our last mission, I apologize for not being able to assist you." His hopes of quelling the sky pirate's rage diminished as he saw Limera walk over to him. "What is wrong with you?! Can't you be happy for him? Is it too hard for you to accept this?" She barraged him with questions, her calm demeanor gone as well.

"Want to know what's wrong? I'll tell you, hothead. That brother of yours has earned nothing! He doesn't deserve that title, let alone, the power that comes along with it! Has he ever, once in his life, ever been able to lead anyone? No. Because he's just a mindless follower!" He exploded.

Was….was he telling the truth? All they cared about was his lineage? If he was never their child, then he wouldn't have been made commanding officer? Doubt filled his mind. That should have been obvious. Being coddled from a tender age, he was never given the opportunity to show what he was capable of. "You're right…" he mumbled. A smile forced itself onto his face; a facade to mask the pain he felt.

"If you want to prove that worth off yours, then I challenge you to a battle." the sky pirate said, exiting the room. "Out by the fields, if you have the guts to go through with it."

Rouche had his qualms about fighting someone he considered a friend. If he went through with this, then what would the long lasting effect be? Nothing would change if he didn't decide to act. That would be the foolish path. Chuckling to himself, he drew closer to the door. "Running won't solve anything. I must make up my mind…" Clenching his fist, he took one step outside.

"All right, I'm ready now!"


	9. Commending Strength: Part 2

The warm rays of sunlight shined down on the grass, brightening up the field around Julius. All around him, there were obstacles of varying sizes to maneuver and utilize. Thanks to the location of their headquarters, the field was half the size of its plaza; extending it from the edge of the perimeter all the way into a nearby forest.

The sky pirate was dressed in his usual combat attire: goggles, a signature navy blue and white long coat, bright red scarf, silver polenyes, steel toed boots, and black fingerless gloves. In one hand, he wielded a pistol that was surging with electricity, and in the other, a golden black curved sword that pulsated with the power of thunder. Tapping his foot impatiently on the ground, he saw his comrades observing him from a distance. None of them were judging him, they were just waiting for his opponent to show.

Walking out onto the field, Rouche stood across from Julius. In the time he was gone, he had changed. He wore two silver, golden trimmed pauldrons with a star adorned on them, a small pair of faulds with the symbol of the crescent moon and gleaming star, silver and gold trimmed vambraces, dark colored gloves, brown ankle high boots, and polyenes to complete the ensemble. A pair of aqua colored trousers covered his lower half, while a green tunic with golden trimming was lying underneath the armor. Over that, there was an extra set garment over his tunic. The collar of it was popped out, and the material was held together by a violet star; which then lead to two separate capes. One short magenta, and the other, much lengthier, was blue. His weapons of choice were an ethereal like broadsword, and a translucent stone he clutched in one hand.

Tossing the stone in the air, it emitted a bright flash of light. Gradually floating down, they were met with the sight of the Guiding Light. Gold plated metal shaped into a crescent moon as it spontaneously appeared around the translucent stone. Twinkling lights revolved around the sphere as if in orbit. Lifting his sword up with his right arm, the left one was busy controlling the sphere.

Smirking, the sky pirate spun the pistol in his right hand. "I'm glad you showed up. I haven't had a moving target in a while." The commanding officer's only response was his tranquil expression. Aiming the gun at his forehead, Julius let out a mock "bang" in hopes of instilling fear into his opponent.

Nothing.

Leering at him, the sky pirate gave a quick run through of the rules. "Anything is allowed, except for one thing." he said. "No killing." Understanding this simple, no holds bar fight, Rouche turned to face away from his comrade. There was no helping it. This would be the fight that he'd show everyone what he was capable of. Facing the ground, he felt a breeze blow in.

Cape billowing in the wind, he glanced to the side to see his opponent leaning against one of the obstacles. His pistol held near his head, while the sword he wielded in his hand was turned like a dagger. "Shall we dance?"

As silence fell upon them, the vibrations in the air could be felt by everyone. Their pulses quickened, yet they didn't move an inch. It was a game. To see who would make the first move. To see who would make the first mistake.

Leaping onto the lowest obstacle, the sky pirate shot a round from his pistol. Swiftly moving his left hand towards the direction of the incoming lightning bolt, one of the twinkling lights from the Guiding Light intercepted the compacted form of electricity.

The phenomenon astonished him. Seeing that one measly round wouldn't do a thing, he began rushing towards the swordsman. Hopping over the smaller obstacles, he used the air time to fire several shots in an arch, forcing Rouche to act quicker in order to deflect any of them. Firing at his feet, the swordsman was too busy tracking their movement that he didn't notice Julius jump at him.

Sword raised high in the air, he swung down at him.

Shortly after, he followed with a series of slashing attacks. At one point, he even spun around his opponent, elbowing him at the back before attacking with a spinning slash; which formed storm clouds as the blade passed in the air. Following with a strong vertical slash, that once it made contact with the swordsman's weapon, caused it to fly out of his hand from the sheer force, and momentum. Switching to his pistol to deliver the final blow, he was stopped shortly as Rouche's outstretched arm casted a strobe flashing effect that momentarily blinded him.

Using this opening, he hooked his leg behind his opponent's feet, then used his arm to forcefully bring them down; pinning him to the ground. "Are you willing to submit?"

Glaring at him, the sky pirate denied him of the fact. "Not until you show me your true strength! Stop toying with me." Pushing him off, he get on top of the commanding officer. Pulling his fist back, he punched him square in the jaw.

The audience gasped at the scene, making Limera cringe from the brutality of it. Wanting to call off the fight, Farzen brought her out of her thoughts. "This is the only way they can settle things." the masked swordsman pointed out, bringing some semblance of reassurance to her.

Blocking his face before he could receive anymore punishment, Julius moved onto his stomach, where he painfully jabbed at his ribs several times. Biting down on his lips until they bled, the swordsman groaned with every impact of his fist. "It's people like you, who think that just because they belong to nobility, that they're better than everyone else!" he shouted, pummeling into the defenseless male. "A snobby, arrogant leader who only looks out for himself!"

Mustering enough strength, he reached for his sphere. The Guiding Light illuminated brightly, even during the day. This was the last thing he's ever received that was worth more than its value. What it holds….are the hopes of all those before him that came into this land, seeking refuge. The message it conveyed was much deeper than any word it can be put into. The realization that…

Calling down a shower of golden light, the magical essence caused his opponent to be flung off of him. Pain fading away, he felt his wounds being healed by the sphere. Its power saved those during a time of crisis. So did that mean…? "Mother….father….I.." Getting back up on his feet, he picked up the ethereal like sword from the ground. "I won't let others soil your name! How can you compare them….to the likes of politics and such?" Looking over his shoulder at his concerned sister, the swordsman was reminded of all that he's ever known. "They never wanted anything to do with them in the first place! All they wanted was to protect others. That isn't asking much." Closing in on the sky pirate, the intensity of his eyes never left. "I don't want to be like them, but I will make the most of it. With this name, and life."

Grinning, Julius lowered his goggles down to his eyes. "Great. Can we finish what we started?"

"Lets."

Charging at him this time, Rouche was analyzing each and every subtle move his opponent made. Placing both hands on the handle of his sword, he was going to make proper use of his powers for once. Arrows of light shot out from the Guiding Light that trailed behind him. They bombarded the area around the sky pirate, cutting off his means of escape, and imprisoning him within the tiny space. Dust clouds encircled his body, obstructing his vision. Appearing out of nowhere, the swordsman attacked with a thrust of his blade that parted the clouds.

Losing balance, the sky pirate fell backwards. In a split second, he fired at point blank ranged. As soon as the bolt of lightning was discharged, a heat wave surged around the two. Reacting violently to the gas, the fire caused an explosion to engulf the two.

Popping out of the smoke, they engaged one another. When their swords clashed, Julius felt an uneasy presence in the earth. It was unstable, and before he knew, the ground collapsed underneath them.

Using platforms made out of magic to stop him from falling further down the pit, Rouche made his way back up through the falling debris. Scanning the area while ascending, he saw Julius climbing up the root of a nearby tree. Concentrating on the overgrown appendage, the root wrapped itself around his wrist, latching onto him before pulling him out of the ground, high into the air, and slamming him back down on the surface.

Getting the wind knocked out of him, the sky pirate rested on the ground for a moment. Feeling a chilly draft blow in from the pit, Julius, as quickly as possible, got back on his feet. He saw a dense fog rolling out from its depths; shrouding the field with the mist. Everything went silent.

Staying on high alert, he scanned what little of the area he could still see. One mistake, and this could all end. He couldn't lose here! There was no way-

"Crescent Order!"

Turning his head back, he knew that it was too late to try and avoid the next attack. The soles of his boots were frozen stuck to the ground, all the attacks he's endured had hindered him immobile by this point. He could almost hear the faint crackle of sparks in the air.

Pulling back on his swing, Rouche slammed the flat side of his blade into Julius' back. A strong current of electricity ran through his body; sending a shock to his system.

Falling onto his knees, he then collapsed.

Taking in a deep breath, the swordsman let out a long sigh of relief. "Now, my first order as your commanding officer is for you to take a well deserved rest."

Chuckling weakly at his joke, and his own situation, the sky pirate grimaced. "Listen….I'm sorry for saying all those nasty things. I was just so,"

"Furious. I can understand." Rouche cut him off. Helping him up, the swordsman assisted him towards his sister. Sighing, Julius hung his head. "...Why're you doing this? I know you aren't trying to gain anything through this. You already appear to be happy."

When he thought of the reason as to why he was doing all of this, the commanding officer smiled. "Isn't it obvious? The reason why we're all here? To protect those we love, and the people of this land. Nothing more, nothing less." Handing him over to Laberd and Farzen, they held him still as Limera conducted a series of spells to heal his injuries.

Standing besides him, Estelle marveled at the state the field was in. "Y'know, this just might have been the most exciting thing to happen in a while." she mused. The number he's done on something like this was rather impressive, but he didn't partake in her ramblings this time. He was too busy thinking about the future, and what it holds for him and the Randall Guard.


End file.
